NOTE, I am uploading this work of beauty because it is a classic that every Christian should read at least once in their lifetime, and most never will unless they are exposed to it.

1. Haydn's Oratorio of the Creation
Edited by Glenn Pease
NOTE, I am uploading this work of beauty because it is a classic that every
Christian should read at least once in their lifetime, and most never will unless they
are exposed to it.
The Creation.
INTRODUCTION.
REPRESENTATION OF CHAOS.
RECIT.— Raphael.
In the beginning, God created the heaven
and the earth ; and + he earth was without
form and void ; and darkness was upon the
face of the deep.
CHORUS.
And the Spirit of God moved on the face
of the waters : and God said, Let there be
light, and there was light.
RECIT.— Uriel
And God saw the light that it was good ;
and God divided the light from the dark-
ness.
AIR. — Uriel.
Now vanish, before the holy beams,
The gloomy shades of ancient night ;
The first of days appears.
Now chaos ends, and order fair prevails :
1

2. Affrighted fled, hell spirits black in
throngs ;
Down they sink in the deep abyss
To endless night.
CHORUS.
Despairing cursing rage attends their rapid
fall :
A new-created world springs up at God's
command.
RECIT.— Raphael
And God made the firmament, and di-
vided the waters which were under the
firmament from the waters which were
above the firmament, and it was so.
Now furious storms tempestuous rage ;
As chaff, by the winds are impelled the
clouds ;
By heaven's fire, the sky is inflamed ;
And awful thunders are rolling on high ;
Now from the floods in steams ascend
reviving showers of rain,
The dreary wasteful hail, the light and
flaky snow.
AIR.— Gabriel.
The marvellous work behold amaz'd
The glorious hierarchy of heaven ;
And to th' ethereal vaults resound
The praise of God and of the second day.
2

3. CHORUS.
And to th' ethereal vaults resound
The praise of God and of the second day.
REGIT.— Raphael
And God said, Let the waters under the
heavens be gathered together into one place,
and let the dry land appear, and it was so.
And God called the dry land earth, and
the gathering of waters called He seas ;
and God saw that it was good.
AIR.— Raphael
Rolling in foaming billow
Uplifted, roars the boisterous sea.
Mountains and rocks now emerge,
Their tops into the clouds ascend.
Through the open plains out-stretching
wide,
In serpent error rivers flow.
Softly purling glides on
Through silent vales the limpid brook.
REGIT.— Gabriel.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth
grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-
tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed
is in itself upon the earth ; and it was so.
AIR.— Gabriel.
With verdure clad the fields appear,
3

4. Delightful to the ravish'd sense ;
By flowers sweet and gay
Enhanced is the charming sight.
Here fragrant herbs their odours shed ;
Here shoots the healing plant ;
With copious fruit the expanded boughs
are hung ;
In leafy arches twine the shady groves ;
O'er lofty hills majestic forests wave.
V^ECIT.— Uriel.
And the heavenly host proclaimed the
third day, praising God, and saying —
CHORUS.
Awake the harp, the lyre awake,
And let your joyful song resound,
Rejoice in the Lord, the mighty God :
For Lie both the heaven and the earth
Hath cloth'd in stately dress.
RECIT.— Uriel
And God said, Let there be lights in the
firmament of heaven, to divide the day
from the night, and to give light upon the
eat th } and let them be for signs and for'
seasons, and for days and for years. He
made the stars also.
4

5. REGIT*— Uriel
In splendour bright is rising now the sun,
And darts his rays ; a joyful happy
spouse,
A giant proud and glad
To run his measured course.
With softer beams and milder light,
Steps on the silver moon through silent
night ;
The space immense of azure sky,
In numerous hosts of radient orbs adorns.
The sons of God announce the fourth
day,
In song divine, proclaiming thus His
power —
CHORUS.
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of His work displays the
firmament.
TRIO. — >Gakriel 9 Uriel, Raphael.
To-day that is coming speaks it the day,
The night that is gone to following night.
CHORUS.
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of His work displays the
firmament.
TRIO.— Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael.
5

6. In all the lands resounds the word,
Never unperceived, ever understood.
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of His work displays the
firmament.
END OF PART THE FIRST.
AN INTERVAL OF TEN MINUTES
REGIT*— GakruL
And God said, Let the waters bring forth
abundantly the moving creature that hath
life, and fowl that may fly above the earth
in the open firmament of heaven.
AIR.— Gabriel.
On mighty pens uplifted soars
The eagle aloft, and cleaves the air
In swiftest flight to the blazing sun.
His welcome bids to morn the merry lark,
And cooing calls the tender dove his mate.
From every bush and grove resound
The nightingale's delightful notes ;
No grief affected yet her breast,
Nor to a mournful tale were tun'd
Her soft enchanting lays.
RECIT.— Raphael.
And God created great whales, and every
living creature that moveth ; and God
blessed them, saying, Be fruitful all and
multiply.
6

7. Ye winged tribes, be multiplied,
And sing in every tree ; multiply
Ye finny tribes, and fill each watery
deep ;
Be fruitful, grow, and multiply,
And in your God and Lord rejoice.
RECIT.— Raphael.
And the angels struck their immortal
harps, and the wonders of the fifth day
sung.
TRIO.
Gabriel.
Most beautiful appear, with verdure young
adorn'd
The gentle sloping hills ; their narrow sinu-
ous veins
Distil, in crystal drops, the fountain fresh
and bright.
Uriel.
In lofty circles play, and hover in the air,
The cheerful host of birds ; and in the
flying whirl
The glittering plumes are dyed as rainbows
7

8. by the sun.
Raphael.
See flashing through the wet in thronged
swarms
The fish on thousand ways around,
Upheaved from the deep, the immense
leviathan
Sports on the foaming wave.
Gabriel, Uriels Raphael.
How many are Thy works, O God !
Who may their numbers tell !
TRIO and CHORUS.
The Lord is great, and great His might,
His glory lasts for ever and for evermore.
REGIT.— Raphael
And God said, Let the earth bring forth
the living creature after his kind ; cattle,
and creeping thing, and beast of the earth,
after his kind.
RECIT.— Raphael.
Straight opening her fertile womb,
The earth obed'd the word,
And teem'd creatures numberless,
In perfect forms, and fully grown.
Cheerful roaring stands the tawny lion.
8

9. With sudden leap
The flexible tiger appears. The nimble stag
Bears up his branching head. With flying
mane,
And fiery look, impatient neighs the noble
steed.
The cattle, in herds, already seek their food
On fields and meadows green.
And o'er the ground as plants are spread
The fleecy, meek, and bleating flocks.
Unnumbered as the sands in swarms arose
The hosts of insects. In long dimension
Creeps with sinuous trace the worm.
AIR.— Raphael.
Now heaven in fullest glory shone ;
Earth smil'd in all her rich attire ;
The room of air by fowl is fill'd ;
The water swell'd by shoals of fish ;
By heavy beasts the ground is trod :
But all the work was not complete ;
There wanted yet that wondrous being,
That, grateful, should God's power admire,
With heart and voice His goodness praise.
RECIT.— Uriel.
And God created man in His own image,
in the image of God created He him.
Male and female created He them.
He breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life, and man became a living soul.
9

10. KIR. — Uriel.
In native worth and honour clad,
With beauty, courage, strength, adorn'd,
Erect, with front serene, he stands
A man, the lord and king of nature all.
His large and arched brow sublime;
Of wisdom deep declares the seat !
And in his eyes with brightness shines
The soul, the breath and image of his
God.
With fondness leans upon his breast
The partner for him form'd,
A woman, fair and graceful spouse.
Her softly smiling, virgin looks,
Of flow'ry Spring the mirror,
Bespeak him love, and joy, and bliss.
RECIT.— Raphael.
And God saw every thing that He had
made, and behold it was very good : and
the heavenly choir, in song divine, thus-
closed the sixth day :
CHORUS.
Achieved is the glorious work ;
The Lord beholds it and is pleas'd.
In lofty strains let us rejoice,
Our song let be the praise of God.
TRIO.
Gabriel and Uriel.
On Thee each living soul awaits,
From Thee, O Lord, all seek their food.
10

11. Thou openest Thy hand,
And all are filled with j^ood.
Raphael.
But when Thy face, O Lord, is hid,
With sudden terror they are struck ;
Thou tak'st their breath away,
They vanish into dust.
Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.
Thou sendest forth Thy breath again,-
And life with vigour fresh returns ;
Revived earth unfolds new strength
And new delights.
CHORUS.
Achieved is the glorious work ;
Our song let be the praise of God.
Glory to His Name for eve*.
He, sole, on high, exalted reigns,
Hallelujah !
END OF SECOND PART.
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INTRODUCTION.— Morning.
RECIT.— Uriel
In rosy mantle appears, by music sweet
11

12. awak'd,
The morning, young and fair :
From heaven's angelic choir
Pure harmony descends, on ravish'd earth.
Behold the blissful pair,
Where hand in hand they go : their glowing
looks
Express the thanks that swell their grateful
hearts.
A louder praise of God their lips
Shall utter soon ; then let our voices ring
United with their song.
DUET.— Adam and Eve.
By Thee with bliss, O bounteous Lord,
The heaven and earth are stor'd.
This world so great, so wonderful,
Thy mighty hand has fram'd.
CHORUS.
For ever blessed be His power,
His Name be ever magnified.
DUET and CHORUS.
Adam.
Of stars, the fairest pledge of day,
That crown'st the smiling morn ;
Thou sun that bright'nest all the world,
Thou eye and soul of all ;
CHORUS.
Proclaim in your extended course,
Th' Almighty power and praise of God ;
12

13. Eve.
And thou that rul'st the silent night,
And all ye starry host ;
And everywhere spread wide His praise
In choral songs about.
Adam.
Ye mighty elements, by His pow'r
Your ceaseless changes make ;
Ye dusky mists and dew'y steams
That rise and fall thro' the air ;
CHORUS. — Adam and Eve.
Resound the praise of God our Lord :
Great His Name and great His might !
Eve.
Ye purling fountains tune His praise,
And wave your tops, ye pines :
Ye plants exhale, ye flowers breathe,
To Him your balmy scent.
Adam.
Ye that on mountains stately tread,
And ye that lowly creep ;
Ye birds that sing at heaven's gate,
And ye that swim the stream.
Eve and Adam.
Ye creatures all, extol the Lord ;
CHORUS.
Ye creatures all extol the Lord ;
Him celebrate, Him magnify.
Eve and Adam.
Ye valleys, hills, and shady woods,
13

14. Made vocal by our song ;
From morn to eve you shall repeat
Our grateful hymn of praise.
CHORUS.
Hail, bounteous Lord ! Almighty, hail !
Thy word call'd forth this wond'rous frame;
The heavens and earth Thy power adore ;
We praise Thee now and evermore.
RECIT.— Adam.
Our duty we have now perform'd,
In offering up to God our thanks.
Now follow me, dear partner of my life,
Thy guide I'll be ; and every step
Pours new delight into our breasts,
Shows wonders everywnere.
Then may'st thou feel and know the high
degree
Of bliss the Lord allotted us.
And with devoted heart His bounties
celebrate :
Come, follow me, thy guide 1 11 be.
Eve.
O thou! for whom I am, my help, my
shield,
Mv all, thy will is law to me ;
So God our Lord ordains, and from
obedience
Grows my pride and happiness.
14

15. DUET.— Adam and Eve.
Adam. Graceful consort, at thy side
Softly fly the golden hours ;
Ev'ry moment brings new rapture:
Ev'ry care is lull'd to rest.
Eve. Spouse adored, at thy side,
Purest joys o'erflow the heart :
Life and all I have is thine,
My reward thy love shall be.
Both. The dew-dropping morn, O how
she quickens all !
The coolness of e'en, O how she all
restores !
How grateful is of fruits the savour
sweet !
How pleasing is of fragrant bloom
the smell !
But, without thee, what is to me
The morning dew,— the breath of
ev'n, —
The sav'ry fruit, —the fragrant bloom.
With thee is every joy enhanced,
With thee delight is ever new,
With thee is life incessant bliss,
Thine, thine, it all shall be.
RECIT.— Uriel.
O ! happy pair, and happy still might be,
If not misled by false conceit
Ye strive at more than granted is,
And more desire to know than know ye
should.
15

16. CHORUS.
Sing the Lord, ye voices all,
Magnify His Name thro' all creation,
Celebrate His power and glory,
Let His Name resound on high.
Jehovah's praise for ever shall endure.
16